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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1; E. D. BEALES.

DOOR SPRING. 110.361.981. Patented Apr. 26, 1887.

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DOOR SPRIG.

No. 361,981. Patented Apr. 26, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.A

EMANUEL D. BEALES, OF GUYANDOTTE, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND RO. T. ONEY, OF CHARLESTON, VEST VIRGINIA.

DOOR-SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.361,981, dated April 26, 1887.

Application filed February 25, 1887. Serial No. 228.846. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, EMANUEL D. BEALEs, of Guyandotte, in the county of Cabell and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Door-Springs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which forni part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a front view of my improved door closer and check applied to a door. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same on line x w, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a modification of the invention. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of Fig. 8 on line y y thereon. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section showing in dotted lines the door closed and in full lines the same held partly open by means of my invention. Fig. 6 is a front view showing a modification of the device applied to a door. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section of Fig. 6 on line e ZthereOn. Figs. 8 and 9 are details.

This invention relates to improvements in builders hardware, and has especial reference to improvements in door closing and locking devices, its-objects being to provide a device which will automatically close the door entirely or to any predetermined extent desired, and which can be locked to prevent opening of the door, and which device, when the door is held partly open thereby, will not be broken orinj ured if the door should be forcibly closed without releasing the setting mechanism of the device. These objects I attain by my present invention, which consistsin the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the drawings, and particularly specified in the claims.

Referring by letters to the drawings, A designates a small metallic bracket secured by proper means to the door-frame or to the wall beside a door, W, which is hinged to its frame on the side adjoining bracket A, and turns to- 'Ward said bracket, as shown.

The bracket is provided at its upper and lower edges with vertical ears a a., through which passes a proper bolt or rivet-pin, b, by

means of which the rear end of a horizontal rod, B, is hinged or secured on bracket A, and turns freely thereon. rIhe rod B preferably has its hinge end flattened, as shown, and provided with a suitable eye for the passage of bolt b. Outside of its pivot the rod is enlarged and rounded, and thence tapers gradually toward its front end, as shown. By so forming rod B it is rendered very light,but has 'its size and strength increased toward its hinge,where it is subjected to increased strain. The rod B is about ten inches in length, and its front end passes freely through an openbracket, D, secured at a proper point on door W, in line with bracket A, so that when door W is opened the rod will be supported by and pass through stud C as the door turns on its hinge.

E designates the coil-spring, of about onehalf the length of rod B and placed thereon next its pivot b. The end of spring E next to bolt b is turned around this bolt, so that' the spring will be prevented from shifting on rod B, as shown. The front end of spring E is extended and engaged with the end of a latchrod, F, lying outside of and parallel withrod B, by means of a screw, e, passing through an eye in the extended end of springE and into the en d of rod F, or in other suitable manner, so that the rod is swiveled thereon and can be rotated on its axis without disturbing the position of the spring. The rod F extends forward and rests in and moves through a notch, c, in the upper surface of stud C, outside the passage of rod B. The outer end of rod F may be provided with a suitable ornamental head, and al1 the parts can be finished in any desired manner to present a neat appearance. The inner portion of rod F is flattened and provided with a number of teeth, f, on its lower edge, the serrations between said teeth corresponding with the thickness of stud G at its notch c, so Athat the teeth f may be engaged with the stud C,and thereby put different tensions on spring E, for a purpose hereinafter shown.

The described parts form the door closing and setting devices, and their operation is as 'ing in a vertical stud, C, standing from a A follows: The bracket A being secured to the door-frame, and its rod B passing through the opening in stud C, securedV to the door, as described, the rod F is pushed inward, compressing the spring E slightly when the door is closed. Upon opening the latter the stud C, moving on the are of a circle coinciding with the hinges of the door, approaches nearer bracket A, and the rod B consequently slides through said stud more or less, according to the extent of movement of the door W. The rod F, by its engagement with the studO, cannot pass over the latter, and consequently, as it is forced toward bracket A, compresses spring E, so that upon release ofthe door the pressure of the spring is exerted through rod F against stud Gto return the door to its normal position, or close it, the power of the spring being sufficient to permit this action. Now, ifit is desired to hold the door partly open normally, and at the same time not hinder it being still further opened for the passage of any person, the rod F is disengaged from stud C and the door opened to the desired position. This causes the rod B to slide through stud C, as described, and the bar Fis then engaged by its tooth, which lies directly over notch c, naturally, with the stud C, so that the bar cannot move in either direction. This causes the spring E to be extended if the door is closed, and consequently it will draw the stud C toward bracket A and cause the door to turn until the spring reaches its normal position. By varying the engagement of teeth y 35 f with stud C the door is held at various angles, and when pushed farther open the spring will be compressed and return the door Yto its set77 position, correspondingly to its described action for closing the same. Vhen so set, if the door should be forcibly shut, the spring will be extended, and although its tension would be increased, yet it would not cause any breakage of the teeth f or other parts of the device, as is obvious. Thus it will be seen that I have a great advantage over the door checks and closers now infuse, as the door can be entirely opened or closed without changing the set of thedevice, and yet not cause any breakage of theV parts.

If it is desired to entirely release the action of the spring E, the rod F is rotated on its axis until its smooth surface lies within notch c of stud C, the teeth f not engaging therewith, so that when the door is opened or closed the rod F will play through notch c, similar to rod B, in its opening in stud C, and consequently the spring will have no action upon the door, nor be acted upon thereby.

In order to lock the door when closed, I employ the device shown in Figs. l and 2 or 3 and 4. In the former I provide the rod B with a suitable perforation for the reception of a pin, G, which is placed in the perforation of rod B inside stud C when the door is closed, so that upon trying to open the door the pin G will abut against the stud and prevent the passage of the rod therethrough, thus securely locking the door.

In Figs. 3 and 4 I provide a hinged latchpiece, H,which is pivoted at its rear end upon rod B, and when the door is closed and the latch lowered its front angular head engages the side of stud C and prevents the passage of rod B therethrough, and consequently locks the door, as described.

When not desired to lock the door, latch H is turned backward upon rod B outof engagement with stud C, and when pin G is used I provide a suitable perforation in the top Vof stud C or in the end of rod B outside the stud, to hold the same when not in use.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I show a modification of the bracket A and the springs of the device. In these the bracket is lengthened with its bolt b. Around this bolt, beneath rod B, is a spiral'spring, E,which is rigidly connected at its upper end with spring E, the two springs being preferably made integral or of the same coil. The lower endof spring E is not xed, but is extended, as shown, and adapted to engage the bracket A, when the door is partly opened, and becoming tensioned through the medium-of spring E and its bar B, it will cause the partial closing of the door when the latter is opened, until its lower end is disengaged from contact with the bracket. This spring forms a valuable auxiliary to the spring E when the device is attached to very heavy doors.

It is obvious that the spring E may be made separate and have its upper end attached direet to rod B, the spring E being placed on said rod, as before; but where both springs are used I prefer having them in one coil, as described.

It will be observed that my invention is equally applicable to right-hand or left-hand doors, as the rod F, being swiveled on spring E, can be turned to properly engage stud Cv when the device is attached to either kind of door.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a combined door closer and check, the combination of a rod pivoted at one end to a bracket mounted on a door-frame and extending forward to and passing freely through a stud secured to the door, a spring secured on said rod, and a serrated or toothed rod united to the spring at one end and adapted to engage the stud on the door by its various teeth to keep the door closed or to hold the same open at desired points, all substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of a rod carrying a suitable spring and pivoted at its rear end upon the door-frame, and having its front end playing freely through a suitable stud secured to the door, with a toothed rod united to the spring at its rear end and adapted to engage ICO IIO

the stud by its different teeth, and thereby In testimony that I claim the foregoing as ro expand or compress the spring to keep the my own I afix my signature in presence of door automatically opened at various points two Witnesses.

or closed, and a suitable locking device on the spring-bearing rod adapted to engage the lat- EMANUEL D. REALES. ter rigidly with its stud and prevent the opening of the door, all constructed substan- Witnesses:

tiallyin the manner and for the purpose speci- T. II. ALEXANDER,

ed. JULIUs SoLGER. 

